[Antennas] Questions!

[Chris BONDE]

OK, whilst I try to keep a low profile, to learn without emotions, and 
submit unbiased responses, it appears that I have evoked some comments on 
the reponse to the answer to the original question.  Probably forgotten by 
many as the thread progesses.

Breifly the question, (in my understanding) was about using a relay in the 
radiating part of the antenna system to change (switch in/out sections) the 
physical length of such.

The answer that I objected to, was not the technical part, but the lead in, 
which was:
>Dear Osten,
>
>It's a totally ridiculous idea and isn't worth even trying. As you say, the
>voltage is very high (the current is also very low) at the ends of a dipole.
>Therefore, there isn't a relay in existence that can help you there. Did it
>ever occur to you that if such an idea had any chance at all, someone would
>have already tried it and published the results? In fact, the only antennas
>that I have ever heard of that use relays, use the relay or relays for
>switching in the transmission line - hopefully, at a point where the current
>and voltage are consistent with the capability of the relay.

The lead in that I would have prefered (especially if I had asked the 
question) would be similar to:

>Osten,
>
>I'm not sure why you received so many mildly
>hostile replies to your question, but I'll try to
>help if I can.
>
>As some responders have pointed out, you
>may have trouble with high voltage at the
>locations of the relays.  This is likely to
>happen if you use smaller relays.  However,
>many hams have successfully used shorting
>wires to change the length of their antennas.
>Cut the antenna wire at the terminating length
>for the higher band and insert a "dogbone"
>insulator at that point.  Solder a short wire to
>one of the antenna wire ends, and attach an
>alligator clip to the other end of the short wire.
>Clip the short wire to the other antenna wire
>to make the overall antenna length longer,
>and unclip it to make it shorter.

I have received a few replies off-reflector, all positive and 
helpful.  From these, I would say the the writter of the first response is 
a respected instructor at a college, well known for his work in radio and 
has done much for the radio fraternity.

Chris opr VE7HCB